


The Hope Only of Empty Men

by EudociaCovert



Series: Death's Other Kingdom [3]
Category: The Hollow (Cartoon)
Genre: Dystopia, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 08:12:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14996594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EudociaCovert/pseuds/EudociaCovert
Summary: Even outside the Hollow Kai has a role to play.





	The Hope Only of Empty Men

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy!

Kai comes out of L.E.A.R.N. sweating. His fingers ache from twisting imaginary wires and tightening imaginary bolts with an imaginary socket wrench. It’s a curious type of phantom pain, and he’s not the only one who has it. He spots at least three other classmates shaking out their hands or stretching their lower backs when they get out of the chair.

It takes him a second to stand. It always does; he has to catalog all his limbs and ligaments first, like he’s looking for breaks in a string of computer code or checking that all the pieces of an engine are present and in order before he starts piecing it back together. The only time it’s easy to stand is when Adam and Mira are there to pull him up with strong hands, or just with their existence, their energy.

His legs still feel weak when he moves to the door. The class organizes itself into three practiced lines, eyes on the electric sign hanging above the exit. Kai bends his fingers one by one and remembers the heft of rocket parts held between his hands.

When Kai’s in the game he loves how he can fix things, make things. He loves it in the real world too, but not in the same way. The Academy curriculum doesn’t allow for the same type of off-the-cuff problem solving the Hollow forces him to use. If the three of them ever get caught he wonders if he can use that as an excuse. _Really, we did it for the learning experience._ Kai lets loose a nervous laugh before he can help himself. The person in front of him tries to lean away from him without looking like they’re leaning away.

A number pops up on the screen, then a percentage to its left.

Kai knows all the identification numbers in his class, but he doesn’t know which physical person they belong to. A couple are easy. 400390111 always shifts when his percentage comes up. 57th percentile today. He’s out of the danger zone, but barely. 401800005 is almost always in the top 30 percent, she does this happy shake thing when her score shows. Yup, there she goes.

Kai wants to cross his fingers while he waits, but he knows better. For him, the best reaction is no reaction. 4003990111 and 401800005 are fine, no one will care what they get. But him? They’ll care what he gets. He’s competition.

It would be easier to score lower, or to purposely do worse on some quizzes to keep his number unrecognizable like some kids do, but it’s important that he score in the top five percent. It’s important for the team. Mira and Adam can both pull it off if push comes to shove, but Kai can do it consistently, and they need that.

There he is, 100072737. No one moves, but you can almost feel the mood shift from anxious to hostile.

96th percentile.

Kai stands stock still, but inside he’s slumping in relief. He pays attention to the rest of the scores for forms sake and keeps his head down when it’s over and the door swings open. He shuffles out of class and down the hall like that, only smiling when he has another viable reason to.

That reason is Mira, elbows on their usual table and head held in her cupped hands, two additional trays already full and waiting for their recipients to arrive.

“Hey, Kai.”

“Mira, Hi! How was class? Don’t answer that, it’s always horrible. Is that green beans or asparagus?”

“Don’t know, I was waiting for you to try it and tell me.”

“So cruel. We should make Adam do it.”

“Adam isn’t able to categorize anything beyond ‘edible’ and ‘probably not edible’.”

“Honestly, I think that might apply in this case.”

“In what case?”

“Adam!” Kai exclaims as he turns.

The other boy raises an eyebrow at him. “Whatever it is, the answer is no.”

Kai’s so ready to tease him into it, but…

“Not looking so good there, champ.” Mira notes, voice soft.

Adam sits down without comment, but also without grace. They watch as he pulls the tray closer. Picks up his plastic fork. His hand shakes. He drops it. Picks it up again.

Kai clears his throat. “Hey, buddy.”

Drops it.

“Adam.”

Can’t get a grip.

“Adam, come on.”

“Shut up, I can feed own damn myself.”

Kai looks at Mira, who looks back, concerned and helpless before she takes a forkful of unrecognizable veggies and crams them into her mouth. Kai follows suit, trying his best not to flinch when Adam’s fork hits the table again.

It takes the other boy a while to admit defeat, of course. He finally sets the fork down and shakes his head at himself, lips pressed tightly together. “Not here though,” he sighs. “Help me with it in one of the rooms. If you’ve got time before your next class, of course.”

“I’ve got an extra ten minutes,” Kai volunteers.

Adam smiles at him, a quick smug thing. “Extra ten for lunch, nice. Top five percent again?”

Despite everything Kai can’t help preening a bit. “You’re going to need that off campus trip if you’re going to find a new gamemaster.”

Adam places his hands in his lap and pretends he isn’t in pain. There’s a pinch to his brow, and a tremor in his shoulders. “You know you can take the trip yourself sometimes, instead of hacking the school and sending all your rewards to me. I know you work hard for them.”

Kai doesn’t say he only works that hard because it's for Adam because they’re in a public place, and he honestly doesn’t want his friend to try to elbow him in the ribs and fall off the bench. “I know. It’s fine. I’ll let you know if I feel like being rewarded. Maybe I’ll get a hot date, show her the town. Ride into the sunset on the back of our robot chaperone.”

Mira giggles and Adam smiles, even as he rolls his eyes.

When lunch is over Kai pretends to tie his shoe so that Adam can use his shoulder to lever himself up without having to ask.

Often in the Hollow Kai feels jealous of Adam’s strength, flexibility and overall athleticism. In the real world, where he can see what that costs him, he really _really_ doesn’t. Especially on days like this one.

The other students watch them as they leave, Adam walking is an admirably straight line beside Mira, Kai carrying his friend’s full tray a couple steps behind. The attention isn’t new; the three of them are pretty abnormal. There are some friend groups around of course, even the Academy’s toxic competitiveness can’t snuff out the human need for companionship completely, but none who’ve stuck together as long as they have, none who aren’t in the same classes, marked for the same career. Most of the Academy’s students live in bubbles worried only about their own studies, success, survival.

When Kai’s feeling maudlin he thinks about how even if they fail, even if this all blows up in their face, he’ll always be thankful to Adam and Mira for giving him something beyond that sorry existence. Giving him something to belong to. Proving to him over and over and over again that there’s someone in his corner, even if the world is against them, even if leaving him to the wolves is the smart move, even if they don’t remember who he even is.

The coolest thing about The Hollow is that every time Kai leaves the game he gets to realize that his home was with him the entire time.


End file.
